


Teach

by Burgie



Series: Katja Joins Team Good AU [26]
Category: Star Stable
Genre: F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-17
Updated: 2016-08-17
Packaged: 2018-08-09 08:01:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,235
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7793710
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burgie/pseuds/Burgie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Avalon tells Mandy about how he became her godfather.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Teach

It had taken months and a lot of pestering and reminding, but the Druid Council had finally given Elizabeth the go-ahead to open her magic school. Of course, there were only three students at the moment, but there would be another soon. Elizabeth and Avalon took it in turns teaching the basic druid magic, while the Soul Riders and sirens gave lessons on their own specific magics.

“Hi, Uncle Avalon!” Mandy called as she ran into the classroom. She was always eager to learn, especially when Avalon taught her. Avalon caught her in his arms with a soft ‘oof’, then chuckled and patted her on the back as she hugged him.

“Mandy, lessons don’t start for another hour,” said Avalon. “I only came in here early to set up.”

“But I wanted to see you,” said Mandy. “You’re sooo hard to find.” She was surprisingly eloquent, for a seven-year-old. And surprisingly sassy, but she got that from her mother. Mandy skipped away from him and jumped up to sit on one of the desks, swinging her legs.

“My apologies,” said Avalon with a chuckle. He pulled his head down to look the girl in the eye, as was only polite. Elizabeth had been urging him to put his hood down more. Lisa called it being whipped, Avalon just called it learning how to act as a decent person.

“Mum said that she’s really happy that you’ve turned into such a nice guy,” said Mandy. “Mama said that you used to be such a stick-in-the mud.”

“They say that, do they?” asked Avalon. “Well, part of that change is because of you.”

“Me?” asked Mandy. “What did I do?” She tapped her sharp tooth with her finger. It had grown in after she’d lost her baby tooth.

“Well, it all started when your mother told me that she was pregnant,” said Avalon. Mandy shifted around on the desk to rest on her belly, putting her chin in her hands.

“Tell me, Elder Avalon,” said Mandy, her brown eyes bright. Avalon laughed and sat on his teacher’s desk. He had time for a short and child-friendly version of events.

“Many, many years ago, your mother and I did not get along,” said Avalon. “We were enemies.”

“Is that ‘cos mum was a General?” asked Mandy. Okay, so maybe Alex had told her more than Avalon suspected.

“Yes. Even when she became good, however, I still did not trust her. It took the urging of my wife to even make me consider her as changed,” said Avalon.

“Auntie Elizabeth is so cool,” said Mandy, nodding. “But what made you decide to trust mum?”

“Well, that’s what I’m trying to tell you, if you’ll let me talk,” said Avalon with all the patience of a man long used to children.

“Oh, right. Sorry,” said Mandy, and mimed zipping her lips shut. Avalon had to smile at that.

“Eventually, though, I began to trust your mother. She proved to me and all of the Council that she could be good by submitting to a truth serum. She told us all of her secrets, though your mama only told me some of the more personal ones. Because she trusted me so much, I began to trust her too. And then, years later, she told me that she was pregnant.”

“With me!” Mandy cried.

“Yes,” said Avalon with a smile. “With you.” Mandy beamed at him. “After that, she asked for my help in protecting you.”

“From her enemies.” Mandy adopted a frowny face.

“Yes. And I accepted, because they are also my enemies. But also because, somewhere along the line, I had developed a fondness for her. A feeling of friendship.”

“Aww,” Mandy cooed. “Mum said that she was your first friend.”

“I had friends,” said Avalon, mocking offense. Mandy chuckled.

“Colleagues aren’t friends, Uncle,” said Mandy.

“Well then, in that case, your mother was my first friend. It only took us centuries to see past our differences and work together,” said Avalon.

“Yay. Now tell me more,” said Mandy.

“Gladly.” Avalon leaned back on his hands. “I helped protect her for the many months that she was pregnant with you. Days before you were born, she had something very important to ask me. She asked me to be your godfather.”

“And did you say yes?” asked Mandy.

“Well, obviously,” said Avalon. “I asked if she was sure and she told me that she trusted me enough now to look out for her daughter. These days, the term ‘godfather’ is next to meaningless. But in the olden days, when I was young and still mortal, the godfather was to protect the child. Have either of your parents ever told you about what happened when you were still a baby?”

“Umm, with Auntie Anne?” asked Mandy. She nodded. “Yeah, they told me bits of it. Mama said that you saved my life.”

“Well, it wasn’t exactly like that,” said Avalon. “But, you know that she was once insane, right?”

“Mama says that Auntie Anne is still as coocoo as a clock,” said Mandy. Avalon laughed at that, surprised at the frankness coming from the young girl.

“Well, yes, she would say that. When you were still a little baby in your crib, Anne visited you. I followed her into the bedroom to make sure that she wouldn’t do anything rash, and I told your parents that she was there. I also covered you in protective spells. Had she harmed you, or even tried to, I would have stopped her, no matter the cost. Soul Rider or no Soul Rider, I would have killed her on the spot,” said Avalon. 

“Wow,” said Mandy. “You’re a hero, Avalon!”

“I feel like one,” said Avalon, smiling. “In that moment, I knew that I could be kind without becoming too soft.”

“It also marked the start of your beginning to think like a father,” said Elizabeth, stepping into the room from a side door. “Avalon, I have the first lesson today. You know this.”

“Perhaps I simply wanted to spend time with my goddaughter,” said Avalon, and opened his arms. Mandy quickly jumped into them, hugging him.

“Aww, you’re so sweet, Uncle Avalon,” said Mandy.

“He is indeed,” said Elizabeth, wrapping an arm around him and planting a kiss on the side of his head. “Class starts in five minutes, Mandy, would you mind fetching your brother and Evie?”

“Okay,” said Mandy, and ran out of the room to do their bidding.

“She is a sweet girl,” said Avalon.

“I like that she brings out your inner sweetness,” said Elizabeth. “I know that you’re a sweet man, but not many others get to see that side of you.”

“It is a side I reserve for those I love,” said Avalon. Elizabeth kissed him again, on the lips this time. Clattering footsteps in the corridor made them break away after a few kisses, though.

“Time to be a teacher,” said Elizabeth, and smiled brightly. 

“I should be off, then,” said Avalon. “I will see you in a few hours.” He stood outside the door for a few minutes longer, though, watching his wife launch into an animated lesson on basic runes. It had been her lifelong dream, and now she was living it. It was a beautiful sight. And, even more beautiful, Mandy was sitting beside her best friend, eagerly taking notes. Avalon had taught her well.


End file.
